Glasses, glass-ceramics and process for making same

ABSTRACT

Thermally crystallizable glasses of the

United States Patent [191 m I Dec. 3, 1974 1 GLASSES, GLASS-CERAMICS AND PROCESS FOR MAKING SAME [52] US. Cl. l06/39.6, 106/47 R, 65/33,

252/635, 317/258 [51] Int. Cl. C03c 3/22, C03c 3/12 [58] Field of Search 106/47 R, 47 Q, 390 V, 106/52, 39.6; 65/33; 252/629, 63

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,976,246 3/1961 Egerton et a1. 252/629 3,084,053 4/1963 Arlett et al. 106/47 3,113,877 12/1963 Janakirama-Rao 106/47 3,114,066 12/1963 Allen et al. 106/52 3,195,030 7/1965 Herczog et a1 106/47 3,502,598 3/1970 Nitta et al 252/629 3,615,757 10/1971 Herczog et al 106/39 DV OTHER PUBLICATIONS Liebertz, J. Glasbildung in System K20- GeO -Nb2O,-,, Glastech. Ber., Dec. 1969, 42, (12), pg. 510. I Sarjeant et a1., Formation of new non-crystalline solid (NCS) phases-Chem. Abstracts, Vol. 72, pg. 356, March 9, 1970.

lmaoka et a1. Glass-Formation on Types of Ternary Systems II Germanates of A Group Elements, Report of the Inst. Industrial Science, (Tokyo) Vol. 19, No. 3, March 1963, pp. 161-2, 188-190, 183-185. Smith, G. P., Optical Materials: Glasses & Glass- Ceramics, Optical Spectra, March/April 1969, p. 36-37.

Primary ExaminerWinston A. Douglas Assistant ExaminerMark Bell 1 Attorney, Agent, or FirmE. J. Holler; Charles S. Lynch [57] ABSTRACT Thermally crystallizable glasses of the A B GeO system wherein A is Na O, Li O, or a mixture of Na O with K 0 and/or U 0 and B is Nb O or a mixture of Nb O and Ta O and glass-ceramics made therefrom which have high dielectric constants and low dissipation factors or loss tangents, which glasses and glass-ceramics are suitable for use as capacitors and dielectrics, and particularly for thick-film dielectric pastes utilized in the manufacture of micro-electronic printed circuits. By varying the heat treatment schedule for crystallization of the glass to a glass ceramic, a specific high dielectric constant coming within a prescribed range can be imparted to the finished, glass ceramic. Glasses are also disclosed of the system RONb O GeO wherein R0 is SrO, BaO or PbO. These glasses may be treated to form transparent glass-ceramics.

15 Claims, N0 Drawings GLASSES, GLASS-CERAMICS AND PROCESS FOR printed circuits and the like. Dielectric constants of over about 150 (at room temperature and 0.5 MHz) and as high as 500 and even over 1000, with accompanying low dissipation factors, i.e., below percent and even below 1 percent, are obtained with glass ceramics of the present invention. The temperature coefficient of capacitance (T defined as the change in capacipresent invention can, during an appropriate heat treat- 25 ment process, be converted to a transparent, inorganic crystalline oxide ceramic material having any desired dielectric constant between a selected upper and lower limit. The ceramic material thus formed, also known as a glass-ceramic, contains a major portion of very tiny 3O crystals embedded in a minor glassy matrix remaining as a result of the thermal crystallization.

Glass-ceramics of the present invention can also be prepared in the form of small chips, of a size of about one-fourth inch or less, which are suitable for use as 35 support carriers for electronic microcircuits. Chip capacitors are produced by casting, pressing and metallizing/heat treating in a continuous operation, Such capacitors are of the general purposes or highfrequency/positive temperature coefficient. Dielectric 40 constants range up to 1,000 or more and the dissipation including high dielectric 5 factor is preferably less than 3.5 percent and usually less than 1 percent with the temperature coefficient of capacitance being positive or negative.

Within the broad spectrum of the thermally crystallizable glasses of the A B GeO system of the invention wherein A is Na O or a mixture of Na O with K 0 and/or L1 0 and B is Nb O or a mixture of Nb O with Ta O and the molar ratio of A to B is within the range of 0.7:1 to 1.4:], it has been found that a narrow range of several compositions have unexpectedly high dielectric properties when made into glass-ceramics. One such thermally crystallizable composition, having good glass-forming properties, is the Na O Nb O GeO system wherein the three sole essential ingredients are within the following narrow ranges:

Preferred Range Broad Range Ingredient Mole Percent, Mole Percent GeO 32 36 30 40 Nb O 32 34 30 35 Na O 32 34 30 35 Glasses of the foregoing composition are thermally in situ crystallized to glass-ceramics having high dielectric constants and low dissipation factors with the constants varying depending on the heat treatment to which the glasses are subjected during crystallization.

While the most stable glasses are obtained when the molar ratio of Na O to Nb O is about 1, good glasses are also formed when the ratio of Na O to Nb O is from about 0.821 to about 1.2:1.

Several compositions were prepared by melting together GeO and Nb O together with sufficient sodium carbonate to produce the Na O, in the mole percents set forth in the following table. Other compositions were also similarly prepared wherein K 0 or Li O charged as the respective alkali metal carbonate, were used in lieu of the Na O.

Each of the twelve compositions was heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the ingredients and then held at that temperature for about l24 hours, the time TABLE 1 Composition in Mole Percent Ingredient 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .8 9 10 11 12 GeO 35 32.5 40 35 50 25 20 3O 40 20 Nb O 32.5 33.75 37.5 20 32 5 25 37.5 40 35 20 25 Na O 32.5 33.75 37.5 40 K20 32.5 25 37.5 40 Li O 35 40 40 TABLE II Compositions Glass Ceramic Properties l 5 6 I 9 Transparent Heat Treatment Temp., F (time, hours) 1050(2) 1225(2) 1450(2V4) 1075(112) 1175(1) 1200(1%) Dielectric Constant (R.T., 0.5 MHz) 47.7 48.4 50.3 76.2 Dissipation Factor 1 (R.T., 0.5 MHZ) 1.3 1.8 0.7 158 Opaque Heat Treatment.

Temp., F (time, hours) 1175(2) 1350(2) 1575(2) 1125(2) 1150(1) 1200(%) 1450(9) 1150(1/6) Dielectric Constant (R1T.. 0.5 Mhz) 174.3 70.1 67.6 114.4 Dissipation Factor (R.T., 0.5 MHz) 1.1 1.9 1.0 14.9

being dependent on the specific composition and how long it took for the melting to be completed and a homogeneous melt to be formed. The melt was periodition were then judged on the ability of the melt to be quenched into glass chips between the metal plates.

The dielectric constant and dissipation factor of each glass-ceramic-was then measured and is reported in Table II.

Glass-ceramics of the Na O--Nb O GeO system were found to have unexpectedly higher dielectric properties than those systems having K 0 or Li O in lieu of the N 21 0, and, correspondingly, much lower dissipation factors than the LEO-containing glassceramics.

Compositions 1 and 2, which came within the com- By subjecting the glases of the l Ia ONb O 3eO position range set forth above with respect to the Nasystem of the invention to varying temperatures and O-Nb O GeO system, formed glasses readily times during the crystallization process, the dielectric while compositions 3 and 4 which are outside the deconstant and the dissipation factor of the glass-ceramic fined range, gave poor results, with only very small can be made to vary to as high as 350 or more and to areas of glass being formed between the quenched. less than 1.6, respectively. This is evident from the folplates. lowing Table.

TABLE 111 Compositions Opaque Heat Treatment l l 1 1 l 1 1 Temp., F(time, hours) I 1250(2) 1200 2) 1250 2) 1410(2) 1200(2) 1200(4) 1200(8) 1150 1 1175(1) 1175(1) 1175(1) Dielectric Constant (R.T., 0.5 MHz) 327.3 149.4 305.6 213.3 224.3 245.7 240.1 Dissipation Factor (R.T., 0.5 MHz) 0.9 1.0 0.9 1.3 1.1 1.0 1.5 Temperature Coefficient of Capacitance(TCC) 1.0 1.8 2.0 5.0 (0-100c) When K 0 is substituted for the Na O, as in composi- Glass-ceramics of the K ONb O;-,GeO system on tions 5, 6, 7 and 8, good glasses are obtained when the the other hand, never exceeded a dielectric constant of composition comes within the following ranges: 75. Glass-ceramics of the Li ONb O GeO system,

such as Example 9, could also have different dielectric Perm constants imparted thereto by varying-the heat treat- Geog 2240 ment during crystallization. However, with dielectric Nb.,o 25-40 constants of 177 and 238, the d1ss1pat1on factor was 83 K10 2540 and 216 percent respectively, making them unsuitable 40 for electrical capacitors. With compositions of the invention, as set orth T bl 111, th d'. t' f' Composltions 5, 6 and 7 form good glasses and, 1n f m a e e Slpa actor was less than 2 percent.

fact, rods could be drawn from the melt of composmon 6. Composition 8, however, having an amount of GeO Excellent dielectric properties were obtained when which is Outside the above g gives P e s mixed alkali-metal oxides were used in the alkali metal with very little glass being formed. While excellent oxideNb O GeO system, as long as Na O was glasses are formed when the K 0 to Nb O molar ratio present as one of the ingredients. Furthermore, good is about 1, the ratio can vary from about 1.6: 1 to about quality transparent and opaque glass ceramics were ob- 0.4:1. tained from this system when the ingredients fell within When Li O is substituted for the Na O, as in compothe following ranges sitions 9, 10, 1 1 and 12, glasses are obtained when the composition comes within the following ranges. Ingredient Mole Percent Ingredient Mole Percent Alkali Metal Oxides Z5 45 Geo 22-50 M15 0 25-40 1.1 0 25-45 wherein the alkali metal oxides are Na O plus K 0 and- /or U 0 and the molar ratio of Na O to K 0 and/or Li O is from about 1:1 to about 3:1. Further, the molar ratio of the alkali metal oxides to Nb O is from 0.7:1 to 1.4:1 and when such ratio is 1:1, then the alkali metal oxides and the Nb O must each be present in amounts of at least 30 mole percent.

The following glasses were prepared in the same manner discussed above, namely melting the ingredients and quenching the melt between metal plates.

TABLE IV Compositions in Mole Percent the glasses were then subjected to the following heat treatment schedules.

With respect to the glass ceramic of Composition 15, the dielectric constant is about 1,100 while it is in ex- TABLE V Transparent Glass Ceramics 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Heat Treatment 1050(2) 1050(2) 1075(2) 1050(2) 975(2) Temp F.(time, hours) 1l25( .l1 50(/) 1175(2) Dielectric Constant 41.1 30.9 21.2 33.5 31.8 (R.T., 0.5 MHz) Dissipation Factor (R.T., 0.5 MHz) 0.2 0.2 1.7 0.3 0.7

Opague Glass Ceramics Heat Treatment 1175(2) 1500(2) 1250(2) 1300(2) 1275(2) 1125(2) Temp F.(time, hours) 1250(2) 1150(/z) 1075(V2) 1075(Vz) Dielectric Constant (R.T., 0.5 MHZ) 220.6 212.6 1099 209.3 525.4 166.0 72.1 Dissipation Factor R.T., 0.5 MHz) 0.5 0.3 3.6 3.3 1.1 0.5 2.3 TCC(%) (100C) 13.2

Additional glasses coming within the scope of the al- 30 kali metal oxide mixture Nb O -GeO system defined above are the following:

Composition in Mole Percent Ingredient 23 GeO 4O 40 40 35 Nb O 35 25 Alkali metal oxide 25 30 TABLE VI Composition 13 Heat Treatment for Opaque Glass Ceramic Temp, F(time, hours) 1125(2) 112504;)

Dielectric Constant (R.T., 0.5 MHz) 179.5

Dissipation Factor 0.7

TCC (0100C) 7.13

As seen in Table V, the dielectric constant was in excess of 150 in all of the glass-ceramics of the invention,

Compositions l5 and 16 when subjected to the following heat treatments gave the following dielectric while the dissipation factor was less than 4 percent. prroperties as set forth in Tables V11 and V111 TABLE VII Composition 15 Heat Treatment for Opaque Glass Ceramic TABLE VIII 1 Heat Treatment for Opaque Glass Ceramic Temp, F.(time, hours) 1250(2) 1275(2) 1300(2) 1350(2) 1372(2) 1400(2) 1700( Dielectric Constant 209.3 240.7 318.8 406 2 4) (R1, 05 MHZ) 435.7 425.7 473.4 Dissipation Factor 3.3 4.9 2.6 6 (RT MHZ) .1 3.8 2.8 2.8

Compositions in mole percent 24 25 lngredient GeO; 3() 30 Nb O 26.25 17.5 Ta O 8.75 17.5 Na O 17.5 17.5 K 17.5 175 When compositions 24 and 25 were subjected to the heat treatments set forth in the following table, the resulting. dielectric constant and the dissipation factor varied. Although the presence of the Ta 0 decreased the dielectric constant of the glass-ceramic, it also decreased the dissipation factor.

Byutilizing the glasses of the present invention, dielectric constants unexpectedly higher than those exhibited by conventional ceramic materials are obtained. Heating the glasses to a given temperature increases the dielectric constant to a maximum value and thereafter longer heat treatments or times tend to decrease it. Thus, there is an optimum time and temperature of heat treatment for each composition coming within the scope of the invention to produce the mostfavorable dielectric properties.

In addition to the foregoing, it has also been discovered that glasses within the system R0Nb O -Ge0 wherein R0 is SrO, Ba0 or PbO, can be heat treated to produce transparent glass ceramics having an index of refraction higher than that of glass and in excess of 2.000 and also having high dielectric constants, i.e., in

excess of 50 and low dissipation factors, i.e., about 1 percent or less, both in the transparent and in the opaque glass-ceramic. Glasses coming within the foregoing system and capable of producing the aforementioned properties in glass-ceramics made therefrom consist essentially of the following:

lngredient Mole Percent Geo: 35-45 Nb O 28-45 R0 14-32 wherein the molar ratio of Nb 0 to R0 is from about 1:1 to about 2:1 and R0 is either, SrO, PbO or BaO. When the molar ratio of Nb O to R0 is 3:1, no glasses can be formed from the mixture.

Compositions in Mole Percent lngredient 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 GeO, 42.9 42.9 42.9 42.9 40 40 40 Nb 0 42.8 35 7 42.8 35.7 30 30 3O BaO 14.3 21.4 30 SrO 14.3 21.4 30 P 3O Glasses were formed from all of the above compositions with the exception of 26 and 28. Several of the glasses were subjected to the following heat treatment and the resulting properties are setforth in Table -X.

TABLE IX Compositions Transparent Glass Ceramic 24 24 TABLE X Index of Refraction of Glass Transparent Glass Ceramic Heat Treatment. Temp. F.

(time, hours) Glasses and glass-ceramics having high indices of refraction are suitable for use in acoustooptical devices, electrooptical devices and other devices utilizing'transparent glasses and glass-ceramics having such high indices of refracton. All of these aforesaid devices are known in the art.

While the glasses and glass-ceramics of the invention have been discussed in terms of the sole essential ingredients, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that minor amounts, preferably not more than 10 percent and most preferably no more than 5 percent by weight of other metal oxides whichare compatible with the glass and glass-ceramic compositions can be used. Care should be taken, however, to insure that such other metal oxides do not materially affect the basic characteristics of the glasses and glass-ceramics of the present invention, including the high dielectric constants, low dielectric losses or dissipation factors and high indices of refraction.

What is claimed is:

l. A glass ceramic material having a dielectric constant of about 1,099 and a dissipation factor of less than 4 percent, said glass ceramic formed by thermal in situ crystallization of a thermally crystallizable glass consisting essentially of the following composition:

wherein said alkali metal oxides are a mixture of Na O K and/or U 0, the molar ratio of said Na O to said K 0 and/or Li O is from about 1:1 to about 3:1,

the molar ratio of said alkali metal oxides to said Nb O is from 0.711 to- 1.4:1 and,

when said molar ratio of said alkali metal oxides to said Nb O is about 1:1, then said oxide and said Nb O must be present in amounts of at least mole percent each.

I 2. A thermally crystallizable glass suitable for crystallization to a glass ceramic having a dielectric constant in excess of about 150 and a dissipation factor of less than 2 percent, said glass consisting essentially of the following composition:

Ingredients Mole Percent GeO Nb O Na O lngredients Mole Percent GeO 32 36 .Nb C) 32 34 Na O 32 34 and the molar ratio of said Na O to said Nb O is about 1.

4. A glass-ceramic body having a dielectric constant in excess of about (room temperature, 0.5 MHZ) and a dissipation factor of less than 2 percent, said glass-ceramic prepared by thermal in situ crystallization of a thermally crystallizable glass consisting essentially of the composition of claim 2.

5. The glass ceramic as defined in claim 4 wherein said thermally crystallizable glass consists essentially of the glass composition of claim 3.

6. The glass ceramic as defined in claim 4 wherein said dielectric constant is with the range of about 150 to about 350 and said dissipation factor is less than 1.6 percent.

7. A thermally crystallizable glass suitable for crystallization to a glass ceramic having a dielectric constant in excess of about 150 (room temperature, 0.5 MHz) and a dissipation factor of less than 4 percent, said glass consisting essentially of the following composition:

wherein said alkali metal oxides are a mixture of Na O plus K 0 and/or Li O,

the molar'ratio of said Na O to said K and/or Li O is from about 1:1 to about 3:1,

the molar ratio of said alkali metal oxides to said Nb O is from 0.7:1 to 1.4: l and when said molar ratio of said alkali metal oxidesto said Nb O is about 1:1, then said oxides and said Nb O must be present in amounts of at least 30 mole percent each.

8. A glass-ceramic material having a dielectric constant in excess of about 150 (Room temperature, 0.5 MHZ) and a dissipation factor of less than 4 percent, said glass-.ce ramic' formed by thermal in situ crystallization of a thermally crystallizable glass consisting essentially of the composition of claim 7. r

9. The glass ceramic material as defined in claim 8 wherein said molar ratio of said alkali metal oxides to said Nb O is about 1:1.

10. The glass ceramic as defined in claim 8 wherein said dielectric constant is withinthe range of from about 150 to about 1,100.

11. The glass ceramic as defined in claim 8 whereinsaid dissipation factor is less than 1 percent.

12. The glass ceramic as defined in claim 8 wherein is from --15 to +40 percent.

13. The thermally crystallizable glass as defined in claim 7 wherein a portion of said Nb O is replaced by Ta O and the molar ratio of said NbgO to said Ta O is from about 3:1 to about 1:1.

14. The glass-ceramic as defined in claim 8 wherein a portion of said Nb O in said thermally crystallizable glass is replaced by Ta O and the molar ratio'of said Nb O to said Ta O5 is from about 3:1 to about 1:1.

15.,A thermally crystallizable glass suitable for crystallization to a glass ceramic, said glass consisting essentially of the following composition:

wherein the molar ratio of LiO to Nb O is from about 2:1 to about 1:1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,852 ,077 DATED Dec. 3, 197

|NVENTOR(S) James Erich Rapp it is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 2, Table II, under "9", "1075(1-1/2)" should be 1075(2-1/2 Col. 3, line 68, "crstallize" should be crystallize Col. i, line 10, "glases" should be glasses Col. 5, Table VI, after "Dissipation Factor insert (R. T., 0.5MHz) Col. 6, line 55, "prroperties" should be properties Col. 9, line 25, "refracton" should be refraction Signed and Scaled this twenty-se h D ay Of January 1 9 76 [SEAL] Attest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer (mnmissiuner ufParents and Trademarks 

1. A GLASS CERAMIC MATERIAL HAVING A DIELECTRIC CONSTANT OF ABOUT 1,099 AND A DISSIPATION FACTOR OF LESS THAN 4 PERCENT, SAID GLASS CERAMIC FORMED BY THERMAL IN SITU CRYSTALLIZATION OF A THERMALLY CRYSTALLIZABLE GLASS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF THE FOLLOWING COMPOSITION.
 2. A thermally crystallizable glass suitable for crystallization to a glass ceramic having a dielectric constant in excess of about 150 and a dissipation factor of less than 2 percent, said glass consisting essentially of the following composition:
 3. The thermally crystallizable glass as defined in claim 2 wherein said glass consists essentially of the following composition:
 4. A glass-ceramic body having a dielEctric constant in excess of about 150 (room temperature, 0.5 MHz) and a dissipation factor of less than 2 percent, said glass-ceramic prepared by thermal in situ crystallization of a thermally crystallizable glass consisting essentially of the composition of claim
 2. 5. The glass ceramic as defined in claim 4 wherein said thermally crystallizable glass consists essentially of the glass composition of claim
 3. 6. The glass ceramic as defined in claim 4 wherein said dielectric constant is with the range of about 150 to about 350 and said dissipation factor is less than 1.6 percent.
 7. A thermally crystallizable glass suitable for crystallization to a glass ceramic having a dielectric constant in excess of about 150 (room temperature, 0.5 MHz) and a dissipation factor of less than 4 percent, said glass consisting essentially of the following composition:
 8. A glass-ceramic material having a dielectric constant in excess of about 150 (Room temperature, 0.5 MHz) and a dissipation factor of less than 4 percent, said glass-ceramic formed by thermal in situ crystallization of a thermally crystallizable glass consisting essentially of the composition of claim
 7. 9. The glass ceramic material as defined in claim 8 wherein said molar ratio of said alkali metal oxides to said Nb2O5 is about 1:
 10. The glass ceramic as defined in claim 8 wherein said dielectric constant is within the range of from about 150 to about 1,100.
 11. The glass ceramic as defined in claim 8 wherein said dissipation factor is less than 1 percent.
 12. The glass ceramic as defined in claim 8 wherein said temperature coefficient of capacitance (0*-100*C) is from -15 to +40 percent.
 13. The thermally crystallizable glass as defined in claim 7 wherein a portion of said Nb2O5 is replaced by Ta2O5 and the molar ratio of said Nb2O5 to said Ta2O5 is from about 3:1 to about 1:1.
 14. The glass-ceramic as defined in claim 8 wherein a portion of said Nb2O5 in said thermally crystallizable glass is replaced by Ta2O5 and the molar ratio of said Nb2O5 to said Ta2O5 is from about 3:1 to about 1:1.
 15. A thermally crystallizable glass suitable for crystallization to a glass ceramic, said glass consisting essentially of the following composition: 